Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Narok and Nosara

For one person, living is cheaper in Narok: $615 a month against $1,835 in Nosara, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Narok
🇰🇪 Kenya
$615
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Narok and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Narok and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $615 in Narok versus $1,835 in Nosara.

  • Narok $615
  • Nosara $1,835

Estimated couple costs with rent: $928 in Narok versus $2,825 in Nosara.

  • Narok $928
  • Nosara $2,825

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,242 in Narok versus $3,814 in Nosara.

  • Narok $1,242
  • Nosara $3,814

Living in Narok costs roughly 67% less than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Narok is 55% below, Nosara is 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Narok
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.37 KES 307
$12.34 ₡5,535
-80.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.19 KES 3,007
$61.3 ₡27.5K
-62.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.66 KES 604
$7.76 ₡3,481
-39.95%
Cappuccino
$1.96 KES 254
$4.44 ₡1,992
-55.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41 KES 53.1
$1.79 ₡803
-77.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 KES 28.44
$1.29 ₡580
-82.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.91 KES 248
$3.24 ₡1,451
-41.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 KES 293
$4.43 ₡1,985
-48.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Narok
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.80 KES 104
$1.55 ₡696
-48.39%
White Bread (500g)
$0.48 KES 62.6
$3.08 ₡1,380
-84.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.43 KES 185
$2.53 ₡1,133
-43.48%
Eggs
$1.21 KES 156
$3.45 ₡1,546
-64.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.20 KES 804
$7.32 ₡3,284
-15.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.15 KES 797
$10.24 ₡4,594
-39.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.03 KES 782
$14.10 ₡6,326
-57.23%
Apples (1kg)
$3.06 KES 397
$2.29 ₡1,027
33.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 KES 141
$1.64 ₡737
-33.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 KES 255
$4.79 ₡2,149
-58.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.79 KES 102
$1.64 ₡735
-51.83%
Potato (1kg)
$0.79 KES 102
$3.85 ₡1,727
-79.48%
Onion (1kg)
$0.78 KES 102
$3.75 ₡1,681
-79.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.73 KES 95.2
$1.09 ₡488
-33.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 KES 67.9
$2.59 ₡1,160
-79.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.58 KES 205
$5.12 ₡2,295
-69.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.09 KES 919
$19.92 ₡8,931
-64.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 KES 255
$2.80 ₡1,255
-30.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 KES 307
$3.52 ₡1,580
-32.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Narok
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.13 KES 147
$1.22 ₡549
-7.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.85 KES 5,036
$73.9 ₡33.1K
-47.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.50 KES 194
$2.17 ₡973
-30.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.33 KES 173
$1.56 ₡698
-14.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 KES 148
$8.67 ₡3,886
-86.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 KES 179
$1.55 ₡697
-10.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.3K KES 2.5M
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-44.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.5K KES 2.7M
$38.7K ₡17.4M
-46.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Narok
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$56.3 KES 7,303
$94.8 ₡42.5K
-40.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.88 KES 1,022
$36.15 ₡16.2K
-78.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.68 KES 2,940
$53.1 ₡23.8K
-57.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Narok
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$23.27 KES 3,017
$73.8 ₡33.1K
-68.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.32 KES 301
$35.63 ₡16.0K
-93.49%
Cinema Ticket
$7.79 KES 1,011
$7.91 ₡3,548
-1.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Narok
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$58.2 KES 7,543
$490 ₡219.9K
-88.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,810 KES 1.0M
$11.9K ₡5.3M
-34.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Narok
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.41 KES 1,998
$54.8 ₡24.6K
-71.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$15.62 KES 2,025
$55.9 ₡25.1K
-72.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$23.48 KES 3,045
$80.4 ₡36.0K
-70.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$38.41 KES 4,979
$77.9 ₡34.9K
-50.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Narok
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$227 KES 29.4K
$801 ₡359.1K
-71.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$156 KES 20.2K
$790 ₡354.1K
-80.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$312 KES 40.4K
$4,005 ₡1.8M
-92.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 KES 30.5K
$1,409 ₡632.0K
-83.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,548 KES 200.7K
$7,064 ₡3.2M
-78.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,143 KES 148.2K
$1,236 ₡554.3K
-7.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Narok
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$309 KES 40.1K
$887 ₡397.6K
-65.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13
8.62
50.81%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Narok: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Narok
$166
Nosara
$350 110% $183
Accommodation & Living
Narok
$156
Nosara
$790 406% $633
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Narok
$87
Nosara
$184 112% $97
Eating Out
Narok
$73
Nosara
$213 191% $140
Getting Around
Narok
$52
Nosara
$89 72.2% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Narok
$42
Nosara
$121 189% $79
Sport & Entertainment
Narok
$39
Nosara
$90 131% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $227 in Narok and $801 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nosara pays 187% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Narok vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $350 per month, with Narok cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇰🇪 Narok
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
13:11 1:11 PM
04:11 4:11 AM
9 h behind Narok
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
40,000
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to KES – Kenyan Shilling Converter

Kenyan Shilling exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 130 KES (1,000 KES = 7.71 USD). 1 EUR = 146 KES (1,000 KES = 6.86 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Narok Nosara 13,480 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Narok
  • Nosara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Narok vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Narok and in Nosara?
Narok and Nosara differ by about 199% in total monthly costs ($615 vs $1,835 including rent). Narok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 187% lower in Nosara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Narok and in Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $227 in Narok versus $801 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Narok and Nosara?
Childcare runs $58.2 in Narok versus $490 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 110% higher in Nosara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $615 in Narok versus $1,835 in Nosara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Narok but tight or insufficient in Nosara. The gap between the two cities makes Narok the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Narok and Nosara?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Narok or Nosara safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Narok and Nosara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Narok or Nosara?
Expats usually find Narok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 199% less than in Nosara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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